Thursday, September 16, 2010

Hostile regimes ramp up anti-Kurdish media outlets

Kurdishaspect.com - By Baqi Barzani

September 16, 2010

In a bid to defuse the mounting peril posed by a large number of newly-established independent Kurdish media outlets, neighboring hostile regimes are struggling to counter them by launching their own vast media campaigns, aimed at disseminating misinformation and anti-Kurdish propagandas.

Persian TV stations have resumed airing askew programs in Kurdish language.Arab and Turkish newspapers frequently run antagonistic columns, trying to portray Kurds persecuting other ethnicities in Kirkuk. Some have tried to soil Kurdish image worldwide by crafting fabrications and baseless allegations. Islamic Republic of Iran has launched new Kurdish press agencies, publicizing that they represent true Kurdish voices and mirror the views of the vast majority of Kurdish masses.

It is worth citing that such efforts are part of a broader plot by hostile anti-Kurdish regimes to infiltrate into Kurdish communities, spread misleading information, distort Kurdish history, sabotage the image of Kurdistan, and collect intelligence on Kurdish political activities, especially in the United States.

They are state-funded schemes, and supervised under the strict control of the ruling regimes, with some having links to the intelligence services of the host countries.

According to unconfirmed accounts, these illegitimate regimes have also been able to recruit some Kurdish secrete operatives in Washington and metropolitan areas. Informants visit Syrian and Turkish embassies on a regular basis, and provide critical requested information on certain individuals or events.

Turkey has repeatedly urged the United States and European nations to shut down some active Kurdish organizations and extradite a list of Kurdish individuals regarded as threat to its national security, mostly including those promoting separatism and holding membership in banned Kurdish political parties in Turkey (North Kurdistan).

In most cases, the US government has rebuffed to cooperate with foreign governments’ requests. “Freedom of expression” is regarded as one of the most sacred fundamental rights in the European and US constitutions.Kurdish media outlets have been extremely influential in spreading any news or developments taking place in Kurdistan, and championing Kurdish rights in foreign countries.